Abord The Bostonius
by SingOutLouise
Summary: Moments aboard the airship Bostonius, from heated games of Monopoly to thoughtful conversations over a glass of wine. (Vaguely implied Luke/Aurora, alcohol mention.)


'Mayfair! That's _mine!'_ The Monopoly board quivered as both Emmy's fists slammed down against the table accompanied by a triumphant whoop.

The inhabitants of the Airship Bostonius, with the exception of Raymond who continued to man the wheel, sat around the table in the kitchen area of the ship. A Monopoly board littered with dice and small plastic houses and hotels covered most of the table.

'Hand over the money, Sycamore!' Emmy crowed, leaning back in her seat and raising her arms above her head.

On the opposite side of the table, Desmond sat with his head in his hands. His little metal iron piece sat on the Mayfair square, surrounded by not one, but two hotels. How Emmy had managed to acquire that space in the first place nobody knew. What they did know, was that Desmond did not have the required funds to pay for this cruel twist of fate.

'I… can't,' said Desmond, raising his head with a grim expression.

Emmy leant forwards, a mischievous glint in her eye. 'Oh, sorry, what was that?'

'I can't pay you. You have bankrupted me!' Desmond threw what little Monopoly money he did have dramatically into the air.

Cackling, Emmy scooped up the paper money. Hershel, Luke and Aurora (who had all been trying to suppress their mirth) burst into laughter.

'I would have thought such an esteemed professor such as yourself would not let yourself become so financially unstable,' Hershel chuckled, brushing a note of money off his shoulder and passing it to Emmy.

'I do not wish to speak of this again,' Desmond grumbled, slumping back in his chair, arms folded. 'I would dare to suggest that Miss Altava has perhaps been cheating…'

Emmy's mouth dropped open. 'Just because you're still upset that I bought that space before you managed to nab it doesn't mean I've been cheating! And anyway,' She grinned across the table at Hershel. 'A lady never cheats.'

Hershel smiled. 'Quite right, Emmy. Nor should a gentlemen.' He turned to stare at Luke who immediately stopped laughing and shifted guiltily in his seat before pulling a wad of crumpled notes from under his leg and handing them over to Hershel with a glum expression.

'Luke, were you stealing from the bank?!' Emmy gasped.

'No!' protested Luke. 'Well… uh… maybe once, but it was ages ago in the game, none of you even noticed!'

'That doesn't make it any better!'

Wood scraped the floor as Desmond rose from his seat. 'I think I'm done playing this, especially as half of you appear to be cheating.'

'I'm not cheating, Professor Sycamore,' said Aurora, quietly.

'I know you're not, Aurora,' Desmond reassured her. 'I can't speak for the rest of you.'

Emmy and Luke began to rapidly protest but Hershel merely chuckled.

'I believe we are all a bit tired so perhaps it would be wise to call this a day.'

'Excellent idea, Professor. I will let Raymond know that we intend to turn in for the night.' Desmond moved away from the table and towards the control panel.

Hershel turned to his squabbling assistants.

'Now, now, you two,' he said. 'I think it's time for bed. You as well, Aurora.'

Emmy dumped handfuls of Desmond's money back into the box along with the board, dice and playing pieces. 'I call that a victory for me,' she smirked, turning on her heel and heading towards the living quarters.

'No it wasn't, Emmy!' Luke began to shout after her but Hershel placed a hand on his shoulder.

'I don't believe you are in any position to reprimand anyone on their gameplay, Luke,' Hershel lightly scolded.

'Sorry, Professor…'

'Off to bed now.'

Luke vacated his chair and slunk away after Emmy.

Aurora rose from her seat, bemused by the events of the past ten minutes. 'Should I go to bed as well, Professor?'

'I believe we are all planning to do just that,' Hershel smiled.

Aurora returned the gesture. She glanced down at the Monopoly box. Emmy hadn't done a very good job at putting everything away properly so bits of paper money stuck out from the lid. 'I have never placed a game like this before.'

'I would imagine not,' said Hershel. 'Unless you can tell me otherwise, I don't believe the Azran indulged in Monopoly.'

'Our recreational games were based more on puzzles and logic.'

'To be quite honest with you, Aurora, that sounds like a much more interesting way to spend my free time than buying plastic houses with fake money.'

Aurora smiled again. 'I will have to teach you all one of the games my people played.'

'That would be wonderful.'

Flying at night on the Bostonius was a wondrous experience. The stars twinkled brighter than when on the ground and the clouds swirled in the moonlight casting throws of light across the earth below.

At first Hershel wondered whether it were wise to be piloting the airship in the dark but Desmond reassured him that Raymond was more than capable of the task.

Hershel sat with Desmond and Emmy in the living space, which consisted of three sofas in a square formation. Luke and Aurora had gone to bed an hour or so earlier, leaving the adults to ponder whether they should crack open the vintage bottle of red wine Desmond had been keeping in a long forgotten cupboard.

Hershel wasn't much of a drinker. Tea was the thing he came home to after a long day of lectures. Rarely did he indulge in alcohol unless at a formal event or out for dinner, but even then the thought of having a bottle of wine over a fancy meal was somehow too reminiscent of going on a date, something he hadn't done in nearly ten years.

Emmy seemed quite enthusiastic to pour a glass. It struck Hershel that he'd never seen her drink, but then why would he have? He often forgot that she actually works for him so her knocking back glasses of wine while on duty might be seen as inappropriate. Hershel didn't mind. As long as Emmy was sensible with her drink she could do what she wanted. Though considerably younger than him and Desmond, Emmy was still an adult.

It occurred to Hershel that technically Aurora was too. Going by technicalities, Aurora was the oldest of everyone on the ship but because at the time of her being frozen in ice she was only a teenager, everyone on the ship tended to lump Aurora and Luke together as "the kids". Aurora didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She and Luke enjoyed each other's company, to the point where Emmy teased Luke about whether or not he had a crush on Aurora. It was really none of his business, but Hershel sensed that Emmy might be right.

As if reading his mind, Emmy spoke. 'Do you think Luke likes Aurora?'

'What do you mean?' Desmond responded, tearing his gaze away from the view out the window.

'I mean, do you think he has a crush on her?'

'I was just thinking about that very topic,' Hershel admitted.

'Woah, spooky.' Emmy grinned. 'I didn't think you were interested in stuff like that, Professor.'

'On the contrary,' said Hershel. 'Matters of the heart can be quite the puzzle, wouldn't you say?'

'Yes…' Desmond nodded, swirling his wine in its glass.

'Are you experienced in matters of the heart, Professor?' asked Emmy.

Hershel's gut sank. He should have seen the turn this conversation would eventually take but perhaps the wine was to blame. He knew there was a reason he didn't drink. 'Ah… not really.'

'Haha, me neither,' Emmy shrugged before taking a swig from her glass, not noticing (or choosing not to notice) the professor's drop in demeanor. 'Apparently people don't find girls who fight attractive.'

'I don't think it's a matter of attraction, Emmy.' Desmond offered. 'It'll be a case of fear. Most boys expect a girl they can woo with flowers and a fancy restaurant, not a girl who can actually stick up for herself and might beat them in a fight.'

Emmy seemed to consider Desmond's words for a while before a satisfied smile crossed her face. 'Yeah… I think that's it.' She leant back against the sofa cushion. 'That and I was never really interested in pursuing anyone.'

'That's the most important thing,' said Hershel. 'You do actually have to be interested.'

A snort escaped Emmy. 'When I was little, I'd always rather fight a boy than go to dinner with one.'

Hershel and Desmond exchanged a look.

'That's why I remembered you, Professor,' Emmy sat up a little. 'You remember? When you saved me from getting arrested at Scotland Yard? You called me a lady. No one had ever really called me that before. So… thank you for that.'

'You're most welcome,' Hershel touched the brim of his hat, smiling at his assistant.

On his way back from the bathroom, Luke noticed Aurora's door was slightly ajar. Tiptoeing, so as not to alert the adults who sat in the living area, he pushed against the door and slipped inside Aurora's room.

She stood by the window, still dressed in her day clothes. At first, she didn't seem aware of Luke's presence.

'Aurora?' said Luke.

Aurora turned around. 'Luke.'

'Aren't you going to get changed and go to bed?' Luke asked, wondering whether he was further breaking the professor's treasured gentlemanly code by intruding on a lady this late at night.

'In a while,' Aurora replied. She turned back to the window. 'I like to watch the stars.'

'Oh…' Luke nodded. He remained stationary at the door, unsure whether he should go.

'Come and look,' Aurora answered his internal question, beckoning him over to the window.

Luke padded over and stood beside her, following her gaze up to the twinkling heavens.

'My people believe that each star in the sky is someone no longer with us here on Earth,' said Aurora.

'Oh… that's sad.'

'Not always. Knowing a lost loved one is up there looking down upon you can be rather comforting. One day we all join the stars…' she trailed off.

Luke cast a glance at Aurora. 'Do you know anyone up there?'

'Yes,' she nodded before biting her lip. 'I suppose everyone I knew is up there now.'

Luke kicked himself for asking such an insensitive question. The pair stood in silence staring out of the window until the door creaked open behind them.

'What are you both doing up so late?' Emmy grinned as she leant against the doorframe.

Luke jumped. 'Oh! Uh, nothing!' At least Emmy hadn't snapped a picture this time. She had a horrible habit of appearing at his and Aurora's shoulders with the flash of her camera.

Emmy chuckled. 'Let Aurora sleep, Luke.'

'Sorry, Aurora,' said Luke, scooting back over to the door.

'I didn't mind,' Aurora smiled. 'Tomorrow we can watch the stars again.'

A grin spread across Luke's face before he was turfed out of Aurora's room by Emmy. 'Night, Aurora!' He managed as the door shut.

'Back to bed, young man,' said Emmy, a smirk lurking behind her stern expression.

'But Emmy—'

'Come on,' Emmy placed both hands on Luke's shoulders and began to steer him back towards his own room. 'I know you like spending time with your girlfriend but it's late.'

'G-Girlfriend?!'

Emmy laughed as they reached Luke's door. 'I'm teasing. Though you two do seem reeeeeally close…!'

Heat rose to his cheeks and he scrunched up his face, glaring at Emmy who tried to keep the laughter out of her expression. 'I just like talking to Aurora, that doesn't mean she's my… g-girlfriend…!'

'Whatever you say, second assistant.'

Luke stomped his foot on the ground. 'Emmy!'

'If I'd known you were just going to antagonize him I would have come to put him to bed myself,' Hershel's voice sounded from the other end of the corridor. He stood with arms folded but a bemused smile creased his features.

Both the professor's assistants paused.

'Sorry, Professor,' said Emmy, with the grace to sound a little guilty. 'Off to bed now, Luke!'

More for the professor's sake than Emmy's, Luke disappeared into his bedroom and let the door click shut behind him.

Before pulling the blinds, he took one last look at the stars.


End file.
